ISO: Cajun Chicken Pasta

[Linda in MO]

Someone mentioned this in another thread and it sounds good, but I can't find the recipe. Could someone post this?
Thanks!!

[ebobbitt]

Linda, I didn't bring the CL Annual 2001 with me today so I can't post the recipe until tomorrow. If someone still haven't posted it by then, I'll try to remember to bring the cookbook with me to work.
Elizabeth

[Laura B]

Here you go!

* Exported from MasterCook *

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Recipe By :Cooking Light Magazine. March 2000. Page: 177.
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Pasta

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast -- cut into 1/2" strips
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced green onions
4 cups linguine -- hot cooked (about 8 oz uncooked pasta)
2 cups fat-free evaporated milk
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese -- (1 ounce)
1/2 teaspoon no-salt-added lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Combine chicken and Cajun seasoning in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and shake to coat. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add chicken mixture; saute 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Add bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions; cook 3 minutes. Stir in pasta and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute; stirring constantly. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 cups).

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 599 Calories; 5g Fat (7.4% calories from fat); 50g Protein; 87g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 74mg Cholesterol; 619mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 1/2 Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1 Non-Fat Milk; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : "After my dad had a heart attack, I switched to a low-fat diet and started measuring ingredients. I looked at this recipe, and it was not low-fat at all. So I changed some things to make it more suitable. If you like spicy food, this is a good alternative to the same old red sauce." --Tara B. Voskamp, Bryan, Texas
Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[Linda in MO]

Thank you so much! This looks great! It is obviously a low-fat version of another cajun chicken pasta recipe I have, which is delicious btw. I will have to try this version soon. Here is the high-fat version in case anyone's curious. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

* Exported from MasterCook *

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Recipe By :Taste of Home
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Chicken Main Dish
Pasta

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves -- cut in strips
2 t. cajun seasoning
2 T. butter
8 slices each green and sweet red pepper
4 lg. mushrooms -- sliced (4 oz.)
1 green onion -- sliced
1 c. heavy cream
1/4 t. basil
1/4 t. lemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. garlic powder
1/8 t. pepper
4 oz. linguine -- cooked and drained
grated parmesan cheese

Place chicken and cajun seasoning in a bowl or resealable plastic bag; toss or shake to coat.

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute chicken in butter until almost done, about 5-7 minutes.

Add peppers, mushrooms, and onion; cook and stir for about 3 minutes.

Reduce heat. Add cream and seasonings; heat through.

Add linguine and toss; heat through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Serving Ideas : Serve with soft bread sticks or crusty bread to dip into the sauce. A green salad would also be nice.

NOTES : This recipe doubles easily. When I made it, I forgot to add the green onion. It was still delicious.

[Linda in MO]

Has anyone made this (the CL version)? Is it any good? I'm skeptical of the evaporated skim milk.

[laden]

I have made the CL version and it's great.

[CindyWeightWatcher]

Bringing this up again because it is really good.
I try at least 3 new recipes a week and this
is a stand out.

[Lynno1975]

I've only made this once, but I'd love to try it again and do it the right way. I wanted to fix something for dinner that was quick, it was summertime, and I didn't want to go buy many groceries. I was also having a guy that I was seeing at the time over for dinner. I saw in the ingredients that it listed "evaporated milk" which worked out well because I had some. I got everything ready and was in the middle of cooking it. All the while I was wondering how all that powder was going to make a creamy sauce. You see, in reading it too fast and just flat out not thinking, I thought it meant POWDERED evaporated milk. I din't realize that they meant the evaporated milk in a CAN. Of course I don't realize this until AFTER I dumped the powered milk, cheese and all that into the rest of it. The saddest part of all had to be the fact that I had a CAN in the cabinet. I tried to salvage the whole thing by pouring in a little water and then cooking it down, but by then the chicken and veggies would have been overcooked and the pasta as well. He had two bowls, but I told him that he didn't have to eat it and that I was buying dinner. Moral of the story: think before you cook. I have yet to try it again, but even the disaster version wasn't all that bad, obviously too runny, but if it had been a little thicker it would have been pretty good. I think it needed a little more seasoning too, but I think that with most of the recipes that I've tried the first time around that are spicy.

Lynn :p

[CindyWeightWatcher]

What a great story!

[cjm]

THANK YOU CindyWeightWatcher for bringing this to the TOP! I made it for dinner last night-it is super good and super easy! I am only cooking for 2 now so cut it in half...DH said it was definitely a keeper.

[Jasmine-Rose]

Thanks for bringing this one to my attention. I made it for dinner last night and it was a hit! I know I've done well when my sweetheart wants a copy of the recipe so he can make it at his place!

I used the CL version as shown but next time I will make just one or two small changes. The sauce was more liquid than I would have liked so I may thicken it just a little next time (though the leftovers are just right now). Also, I think I'll cook the chicken and, rather than add it to the pasta and sauce at the end, I'll keep it separate and serve it over the top of the pasta mixture.

This one will be repeated often. Thanks again!

- E.

P.S. Linda in MO - Don't be reluctant about the evaporated milk. I've taken to using it in place of cream in all recipes and it's been fine everytime. And I use it instead of milk in my bolognese sauce. One of the best things about it is that it won't curdle like milk can. That happened to me once and I've used the evaporated milk since. As a bonus it can be kept on hand as a staple so you don't have to run out and buy cream. My sweetheart was with me once at the store when we were gathering ingredients for something that called for cream. I told him I'd use the evaporated milk and he said it sounded awful and couldn't we use cream? Then I told him he'd been having the evaporated milk in his favorite chicken soup (Roasted Chicken and Wild Rice from Jan '01 CL). He was surprised and quite pleased to use evaporated milk from then on! Give it a try.

[CindyWeightWatcher]

I'm glad I've reinvented interest in this recipe.
Thanks for the thanks!
Jasmine, I also cooked the chicken first
and found that worked well.

[tuff2000]

This is one of my favorite CL recipes. I cannot believe we haven't had it in so long. And after seeing some you say it was your favorite chicken recipe, I just had to dig it out of the recipe pile:) So we had this delicious dish tonight, and I thought I would just bump this thread up, so some of you could be reminded too:)
tara